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C. B. HORTON. Rice Cleaner.

Patented Aug 28, 1860.

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UNlTEi) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHASE B. HORTON, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR HULLING AND POLISHING RICE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,788, dated August 28-, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHASE B. HORTON, of

Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Hulling andPolishing Rice; and I hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a perspective view of the machine; Fig. 2 a top view; Fig. 3a vertical section; Fig. 4 a front view of an air valve; Fig. 5 avertical section of the same; Fig. 6 an inside view of the upperconcave; Fig. 7 a vertical section of the same; Fig. 8 an outside viewof the lower concave; Fig. 9 an inside view and Fig. 10 a verticalsection of the same.

The letters of reference indicate the same parts in the differentfigures.

My invention relates to that class of machines in which rice isseparated from its hulls and inner coverings and pearled or polishedready for market.

A suitable frame work A sustains the various parts of the machine.

B is a cylinder made of what is called flint sandstone. It is caused torevolve upon a horizontal axis placed transversely near one end of themachine. It carries upon a prolongation of one of its journals a pulleyG, to which the driving power is applied, and upon the other anotherpulley D, which, by means of a band connecting it with the pulley E,communicates an accelerated motion to the fan F. The cylinder B, extendson each side through close fitting apertures in the cheeks A, whichprevent the grain or refuse from passing over the ends of the cylinderand clogging its motion. The rice is fed through a suitable tubeprovided with a slide, into the hopper b, which is placed in the rear ofthe axis of the cylinder. A curved grating or screen 0, forms the bottomof the hopper, and allows dust and dirt to pass through. when the hopperis filled with rice, about one third of the surface of the cylinder willbe in contact with the grains and if the slide 6, as shown in Fig. 3 isclosed down to the cylinder and the latter put in motion the grains incontact with the cylinder will be carried upward, rotating upon theiraxes while the remainder of the contents of the hopper will descend tooccupy their places and to be in its turn elevated. A completecirculation is thus produced in the mass. The mutual attrition of thegrains and that produced by the action of the stone cylinder breaks anddetaches the hulls, and if continued long enough completes the pearlingor removal of the inner coats of the rice, but this result is expeditedby raising the slide 6 sufficiently to allow one layer of rice to passunder the concaves I am about to describe.

The upper concave G is made of flexible steel plate 7', so curved andplaced in position as to be concentric with the cylinder B. This plateis supported on the back by a coiled spring 2', bearing against orattached to the plate 9, which is fixed to the top of the machine, andforms in conjunction with the spring a highly elastic flexible concavewhich bears with moderate force upon the rice and readily yields tovarying pressure caused by irregularities in the size of the grain or inthe supply, Without crushing it. The inside of the steel plate has alining or apron of leather extending over its Whole surface secured atits upper edge but free at its lower edge. The leather lining inconnection with the yielding pressure insures sufi icient friction tocause the grains of rice to revolve upon their longer axes when thecylinder is in motion. The concave G is suspended by hooks 7c, thelengths of which are adjustable by means of nuts upon screw threads attheir upper ends. These regulate the distance of the surface of theconcave from the cylinder, but admit of its yielding when required. Thelower concave H is also so constructed and arranged concentric with thecylinder B as to exert a yielding pressure upon the rice capable ofregulation by the set screw I. It is composed of an outer piece of castiron Z, suitably ribbed for strength as shown in Fig. 8 and a curvedsteel plate m, as shown in Fig. 10. The plate is held in its curvedposition and also regulated in its form by a bolt 0, passing through Z,and provided with a screw thread and nut. This plate has also a leatherlining or apron fixed at its upper edge and free at the bottom. Pinsprojecting from the edges of Z, at bothtop and bot-tom traverse ingrooves g0 and g. The latter are vertical and are so placed that whenthe concave is moved to or from the stone no opening is left throughwhich the grain can escape. The grooves 39 are inclined. The apparatusfor separating the offal from the polished rice, is placed on the sameframe and in the rear of the hulling and polishing machinery beforedescribed. It consists of a fan case containing a revolving fan inconnection with certain chambers, passages and apertures which willbemore particularly described.

\Vhen the machine is in operation the cylinder revolves in the directionof the dart and the rice after going through the manipulationsdescribed, leaves the cylinder at the lower end of the concave H,thoroughly hulled and polished, but mixed with the hulls and otherrefuse; it then passes down an inclined plane and through an apertureinto the vertical tube L, where it meets a strong upward current of airwhich separates and carries upward everything but the heavy grain, whichfalls at once into a proper receptacle. The light grains, hulls, dustand other refuse pass over the partition 1". Here it is deflecteddownward by the pitch boards 8 and falls into the chamber M whence it isdischarged when sufficient weight has accumulated in the chamber toovercome the resistance of the valve 2; which is kept closed by theexternal pressure of the air, when the fan is in operation. The currentof air passes from the chamber M into the fan case whence it is driven.up and through two horizontal tubes N into the hopper in proximity tothe cylinder, where its function is, to keep the grain from heating. Theair finally escapes through the wired apertures 23. The admission of airinto the chamber M, is regulated by slides upon each side of themachine; Another slide is placed upon the top of the machine between thepitch boards 8 to regulate the strength of the current at that point. Avalve Q, can be opened for the egress of the air when it is desired thatit should not pass through the tubes N.

I do not claim rubbing surfaces of india rubber or its compounds, but

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is,

1. Constructing the concaves of hulling machines of flexible steelplates having a flexible lining constructed as described in combinationwith elastic springs in the manner and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the hopper 7), cylinder B and screen C, or itsequivalent, when so constructed and arranged in relation to each other,that the motion of the cylinder shall cause a circulation of the grainsin the manner and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

C. B. HORTON.

In the presence of CHAS. EVERETT, W. CROPFIELD.

